As you know, CRDA delivers CRDA Insider direct to your inbox each Thursday, briefing you on the latest industry news. But we know you are busy and may have missed an important article or two. To that end, here's your monthly recap of the top five stories your peers accessed last month. For more articles, or to see what's trending now, visit the CRDA Insider news portal. To unsubscribe from this monthly recap, click here.

Inside The Gate Diamond Resorts International and affiliates of certain funds (the "Apollo Funds") managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, "Apollo") have announced the successful completion of the previously announced transaction amongst the parties, whereby affiliates of the Apollo Funds acquired all of the outstanding common stock of Diamond Resorts. The acquisition was effected through a previously announced $30.25 per share cash tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Diamond Resorts followed by a merger.READ MORE

Inside The Gate RedWeek.com, the largest online community for timeshare rentals and resales, just unveiled a full-service timeshare rental program that takes the anxiety out of online by-owner transactions for both parties.
The Full-Service Timeshare Rentals program complements RedWeek's highly successful DIY rental service, utilized by hundreds of thousands of owners over the last 14 years.READ MORE

Skift Now that Marriott International is on track to complete its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, the company will be formally inheriting 11 new brands to add to its existing 19.
Here's a look at how Marriott and Starwood have respectively positioned each one of those 30 brands up to this point, as well as our take on how they really operate in the current hospitality landscape.READ MORE

Skift Arne Sorenson certainly had a lot to share at this year's Skift Global Forum. Read on for some insight into the company's unconventional decision to link Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest, as well as how he really feels about Airbnb and direct bookings. READ MORE

SkiftWhen Starwood first appeared in the 1990s, it was unlike any other lodging company out there. It wasn't a storied family brand like Hilton or Marriott. Instead, it was headed by a 31-year-old dealmaker named Barry Sternlicht, someone whom Bill Marriott once called "a kid with a backpack."
Funny how, 18 years later, things have changed so much. Today, Marriott is spending roughly $12 billion to buy the company started by that kid with a backpack.READ MORE